HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Some of you know that I am currently treating my Indo, Violet, for a bad bacterial infection on her big pincher. Well, last night, after all the lights in the house were shut off & the house was quiet, I saw Violet emerging from her hermie hut in the ISO tank. I decided to watcher her for a bit & see how she was faring.

What I saw was incredible!!!

She walked over to the fresh water pool, & lifted & stuck a walking leg up & over the dish and into the pool, as if testing the water. She brought the walking leg to her mouth for a taste. Once she had determined that the water was okay, she lifted herself up & perched on the edge of the pool. She drank water for a while.

She then walked a few inches away to the salt water pool, and once again, with her walking leg, tested & tasted the water. She took a few sips & then lifted herself up and over, & submerged her infected BP into the water. She slowing swished it back & forth for a little while. And then, she started scooping up the salt water with her feeding pincher & actually applied the water to the infection. How on earth did she know that salt is a drying agent, and can be very healing???

When she was done at the salt water pool, she walked directly back to the food dishes. One dish contained dry kibble, and the other contained honey, cuttlebone & spirulina.

She ate a little of the honey, and then gently placed her BP into the honey! And I was shocked to watch her, once again, smooth the honey over the infection:shock: WE know that honey is an antibacterial, but how did this darling crab know???

I was mesmerized by her actions! Somehow, nature had taught her the healing qualities of both salt water & honey. It is amazing that a hermit would know this!

I was so spellbound watching her, that I did so for at least an hour. That darling Indo has earned a special place in my heart! I hope with all my heart that she makes it through her infection. She is a special little crab!

Wow! What a story! I've sensed that they had a lot of innate knowledge as far as what would be healing for them, but I had no idea that it went that far!

The closest I've seen to witnessing something like that was when Tom surfaced from molting with a piece of exo stuck to one leg. He soaked that leg in the salt water dish for the afternoon, then dug back down to nibble the rest of the exo off! He surfaced two days later with a deformed leg, but no exo!

THAT IS AMAZING! The whole time I was reading this I was like oh salt water well that makes sence that they would know that. i mean indos live near the ocean but then the honey blew me away! I mean serously how did your crabby know? Hopefully this will help the healing pricess go faster. [smilie=clap.gif] [smilie=clap.gif] [smilie=clap.gif] [smilie=cheer.gif] [smilie=banana.gif]

How very cool! How intimate to have whitnesed it.

I just think she had a bit too much of the happy juice before she went walking around in the dark *ssshhh its ok Kathy lets sit down over here*

lol. I think I would have to agree with Herm-ez unless I saw video of it

that's one special, smart crab!

Caroline

How amazing!!!!!!!!!!! That is so awesome! I can sit and watch my hermies for minutes at a time, sometimes up to an hour as well! But to have been able to see all that go on!!!

I think we all underestimate animals and their God-given knowledge of how to take care of themselves when something is wrong That is why I fear literally "loving a pet to death". Too much can sometimes be TOO MUCH.

Thanks for sharing that story Kathy! I know it will inspire the rest of us out here!

And I know that made a special bonding place w/ that crab in your heart!
We are all so addicted and obsessed, it scares me sometimes

Wow, what a smart crab!

That is a great story!!! We can never underestimate these little guys.

That sounds awsome

Hope it gets better

I'm starting to believe that crabs can feel infections, they just don't get the proper sensations needed to encourage them to drop the limb. My theory is that they get the sensation that there is something stuck to their leg and try and wash it off in saltwater. I don't know how it works, but saltwater does work to numb small injuries and discomforts so they probably feels better after putting the water on.

As for the honey, crabs just respond well to honey, I have no other way of putting it. They just like the stuff and it may help to numb the sensation of the infection.

Crabs can feel pain, even if they don't feel it like we do. That means that they can feel when it stops and utilize measures to stop the pain when they encounter it.

Well believe it or not, it DID happen! I wouldn't make up a story like that. Sorry....next time I'll try to take a video of it, but then again, why should I? I got to witness an awesome site that made my heart glad.....just thought I would share it.

Has your crab done it again since?

Very cool... maybe that's why hermie's that we are caring for are responsive to our care at times. Maybe they really know we intend to help them.